Hartford Citizens for Responsible Government

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On Thursday, February 8, Doug Cunningham, the Director of the Hometown Merchants Association in Lincoln, Nebraska, will be speak at the Hartford V.F.W., on the impact of retail supercenters on local economies. There is no charge for the event, which begins at 7pm and is open to the public. The event is sponsored by local Hartford businesses and the Hartford Citizens for Responsible Government.

For several years, Cunningham was a member of the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, where he was the Chair of the Legislative Committee and a member of the Scholarship Committee. Doug was also a member of the National Grocers Association and served on the Government Relations Council and the Political Education Committee. Doug participated in the Joint Public Affairs Assembly in Washington, D.C., for several years, and was appointed by Senator Chuck Hagel on two occasions to serve at the National Federation of Independent Businesses Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. He was previously the Vice-Chair of the Knox County Republican Party, and Co-Chair of the Knox County Hagel for Senate campaign. Doug also served as a Delegate to the Republican State Convention in 1996 and 2000.

For over 25 years, Doug owned and operated D&D Foodliner in Wausa, Nebraska. His experience as an independent grocer helped instill his passion for independent and family owned businesses of all types. In 2000, Doug was elected to serve as a Nebraska State Senator. Since being elected he has served as a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee. From 2000 through 2004 he served on the General Affairs Committee as the Vice Chairman. In 2005, Doug was elected as Chairman of the Business & Labor Committee. Doug’s stint as a Senator ended in 2006 due to term limits, but he remains very active in the political process.

Doug was presented with the coveted Spirit of America Award by the National Grocers Association at the 2000 Joint Public Affairs Assembly. The Spirit of America Award, established in 1982, is a national award that honors public officials and key industry and community figures that have provided leadership in the areas of community services and government relations on behalf of a free and independent food distribution system. Recipients of the award have included former Presidents Gerald Ford and George Bush. Doug was accepted to and graduated from the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development, Fluno Center for Executive Education, at the University of Wisconsin in 2002. He was also selected for and attended the prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship Program in the summer of 2004. Sponsored by the Council of State Governments, the Toll Program aims to develop the next generation of leaders from all branches of state government.

His presentation, “COMPETING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD WITH SUPERCENTERS”, has been touring the US, educating communities, government agencies, chambers of commerce, and businesses on the impact of supercenters on local economies, and the issues that come with them. Part of his presentation focuses on the erroneous opinion of many that a supercenter will always bring additional sales-tax revenue to a community, and the long-term impact this type of business will have when they locate within a community.